Schools with Professional Theatre Affiliations

College Majors Musical Theater Majors
1

<p>Over the years I’ve heard people mention relationships (both formal and informal) between schools and various professional theatre companies. </p>

<p>It would be interesting to hear more specifics about these relationships and if/how the relationships benefit students. For example, I’ve heard mention of schools that “get” every student an equity card before graduation, schools (like Yale and ACT’s MFA programs) which feed directly into professional companies, schools which offer some students professional internships and schools where staff or alumni connections lead directly to paid work.</p>

<p>It might be helpful to people in the process of choosing schools if folks can share any specific relationships you’re aware of, the nature of the connection between the school and professional companies, and if possible specific examples of how the relationship has benefitted students.</p>

2

<p>St. Edward’s in Austin operates under a U/RTA contract and integrates professionals into many/most of their performances. They are apparently one of the few programs in the country that does this at the undergrad level.</p>

<p>Here is a quote from a recent review that sums up their program:</p>

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</p>

<p>You can read the rest of the review from the Austin Chronicle here:</p>

<p><a href=“Review: Hamlet - Arts - The Austin Chronicle”>Review: Hamlet - Arts - The Austin Chronicle;

<p>Theatre students accumulate EMC points while in school both onstage and backstage, and can graduate with their Equity cards. A downside is that roles go to professionals that would go to students at other schools.</p>

<p>This is a very popular school with students from my d’s high school and some turn down offers from more-well-known schools to attend St. Edwards. You can double-major at St. Edwards as a theatre student and appear in both straight plays and musicals, and that was a big draw for some of d’s classmates. D’s friends that are there love it and really enjoy working in an Equity Theatre environment during their undergrad years. They have found double-majoring to be a challenge.</p>

<p>The U/RTA list can be found here:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.urta.com/Member-Schools/”>http://www.urta.com/Member-Schools/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Interesting, @EmsDad! Yet another program I knew nothing about, and an interesting approach!</p>

<p>I’ll try to speak for Northwestern University but, as always, hope that others will chime in as my knowledge of the program is at best incomplete.</p>

<p>As far as I know, Northwestern (NU) has no formal ties to professional theaters, but the informal connections are strong and numerous. The school as a whole has a growing strategic emphasis on giving students real-world experience and helping them transition smoothly into paid work upon graduation. With that in mind, most (all?) NU theatre professors also work professionally and frequently involve students in projects. Many have Broadway credits, including Tonys, and work internationally. Most main stage productions are directed by visiting professionals, who also become conduits to paid work for students. In addition, the school hosts both the AMTP (American Musical Theatre Project) which develops new works with both professional actors and students, and the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, which brings leading songwriters to campus and results in paid work for some students (recording demos, etc).</p>

<p>In the past couple years I’ve known NU students who worked and/or interned with many professional theaters, including LookingGlass, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Goodman, the Marriott Theatre, the Paramount, Drury Lane, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (plum 10 month contracts) and many other Chicago area theaters.</p>

<p>It also seems fairly common that professional companies, for example LookingGlass, develop new works on campus with both student and professional actors which later transition to full professional productions (recent examples include Moby Dick, The Little Prince and Peter Pan).</p>

<p>As far as I know, students audition for all paid work along with other professional actors, and no student is guaranteed professional opportunities, but in many cases I assume school connections may give them a leg up.</p>

<p>I have a feeling I am only scratching the surface, as these are only the relationships I’ve seen or heard about indirectly.</p>

4

<p>The Shakespeare Theater Company of New Jersey is housed on Drew’s campus. I know theater kids intern there but not sure what else. My daughter is only a freshman but as she spends more time there I can chime in with more information.</p>

5

<p>I just looked at the U/RTA list linked above, and see that Northwestern, CCM, Penn State and FSU are included, but I’m not totally clear what that means. I’ll try to read more about it, but if anyone can explain more about the U/RTA program I’m interested.</p>

<p>Looking at the website I also see mention of the “Big Ten Theatre Consortium” which includes UMich and Northwestern - yet another thing I know nothing about. Maybe if I ask enough questions I’ll know a few things about D’s program before she graduates later this year. Or not. ;)</p>

6

<p>I know that Baldwin Wallace has a relationship with The Beck Center and Playhouse Square in Cleveland - in fact the next two “Mainstage” musicals are at Beck and Playhouse respectively (instead of on campus). I also know that Vicky directed a production of Les Mis at the Great Lakes Theatre this fall, and several BW Seniors and alum were in the cast. And, when we were there for auditions last year - Scott Plate was directing something downtown and a couple of BW students were in the production. So, while I don’t know all the details - there seems to be a very strong relationship between BW and the Cleveland theatre district.</p>

7

<p>I think I’ve heard that UMich has some relationship with the MUNY, but am not sure if it’s informal, an alumni connection or something else. Does anyone know more about that?</p>

8

<p>UMich has no official-type of relationship to the MUNY except that the students caravan there (on their own; not school sanctioned) to audition. </p>

9

<p>Syracuse University drama students have the majority of their classes at Syracuse Stage and can earn equity points performing in shows held there as well as work alongside and form mentoring relationships with professional actors. When we toured there, we were told that many student graduate with their equity card.</p>

10

<p>Tulane is aligned with Tulane Summer Lyric, a professional equity theater. I have heard that some MT students do graduate with their AEA card. Ithaca has a strong relationship with Hangar Theatre, an equity theater just 3.5 miles from campus. Hangar hires Ithaca kids all the time, for summer stock and their productions (and gives points). As GSOMTMom said, Syracuse is well known for their affiliation with Syracuse Stage, and kids also can graduate there with many points or with their AEA card. And while it’s true that Baldwin Wallace kids perform at Beck, I don’t think they get points there. I could be wrong, but I had not heard that. Anyway, this list is handy: <a href=“http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/emc/emc_theatres.pdf”>http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/emc/emc_theatres.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>OCU does shows in collaboration with CityRep where students are able to earn EMC points. Most recently they joined forces to produce South Pacific (a musical) and Grapes of Wrath (straight play). Additionally, OCU students can be hired by Lyric Theatre, also in OKC, for which they can also earn EMC points. There are also numerous other theaters in which students participate in productions including Reduxion, Poteet, Guthrie, Shakespeare in the Park and others. The Oklahoma Children’s Theater also resides on OCUs campus and students can work with them also. Sometimes OCU faculty are the directors and sometimes these are paid gigs. So there are many opportunities in addition to the many on campus productions.</p>

12

<p>Pioneer Theatre Company is an equity theatre in residence at the University of Utah. Students are encouraged to audition, but rarely get cast. However, students have the opportunity to learn from visiting actors, work for the theatre, and see the shows (I think for free). It just so happens the NYC coach my daughter had through MTCA is currently in a production there! She was so happy she got to see him perform last night - and thought it was terrific.</p>

13

<p>I can chime in for Webster University! Webster is formally affiliated with the St. Louis Rep and The MUNY……students audition for the St. Louis Rep and are cast regularly. The students audition for the Rep as part of their regular Webster seasons auditions. I don’t know the details of the MUNY relationship. Webster also has unofficial connections to various programs around the St. Louis area including St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Stages and Variety Children’s Theatre to name a few. This may be true at many programs around the country, but the bulk of the Webster University regular faculty are working professionals as well, so they are acting, directing, singing, producing, etc at some point during the year, as well as teaching. </p>

14

<p>Is it common for kids in any of these programs with professional theatre affiliations to stay on to work with these companies after graduation? </p>

15

<p>Just want to say this is a wonderful thread and hope everyone keeps adding on! Thank you @MomCares for starting it!</p>

16

<p>I’m not sure if this counts but Otterbein has a summer season in their theater, they hire actors from all over to perform.</p>

17

<p>I think that MT majors at Hartt (University of Hartford) have opportunities to audition/perform/intern/mentor at the Hartford Stage Company and Goodspeed Musicals.</p>

18

<p>I think it’s great to mention informal relationships (professor directs at X theatre and commonly hires students, alum is artisic director/casting agent, etc. and regularly hires students, theatre X routinely holds on-campus auditions, etc) as well as more formal connections. For example, I remember a prominent casting director was a UMich alum who spent time with kids at MPulse D’s year who I assume might cast some kids from there and I know kids at Northwestern who have been scouted for National Tours and Bway on campus (i assume by friends of profs or alum).</p>

<p>Here are the schools mentioned so far…</p>

<p>Baldwin Wallace - posts #5 and #9
CCM - #4
Drew - #3
Florida State - #4
Hartt - #16
Ithaca - #9
Northwestern U. - #2, #17
Oklahoma City U. - #10
Otterbein - #15
Penn State - #4
St. Edwards - #1
Syracuse U. - #8
Tulane U. - #9
U. of Michigan - #4, #7, #17
U. of Utah - #11
Webster -#12</p>

19

<p>Boston University - Huntington Theatre Company, professional theatre company in residence at Boston University since 1982. The Huntington won a Tony for best regional theatre in 2013. BU is also affiliated with Boston Center for American Performance, and Boston Playwrights Theatre.</p>

20

<p>@marbleheader - Interesting! Are students usually cast in productions, or do they just use space on campus?</p>